how to live of the land

[ninny]

we just moved and our goal is to live off our land as much as possable. hubby drives 2 hrs a day back and forth to work so gas hurts!(hr each way)

so how does this sound

veggie garden
fruit trees , vines,bushes
layers
meat birds
milk goats


sound good or am i missing some thing


what do you have?

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

Sounds good but takes years to get established.

 

[miss_thenorth]

My dh works an hour away also,although he only works about 13 days a month (just the way his shifts go)
We just bought this place 7 months ago, but our plan is similar to yours. We have laying hens, are getting meat rabbits, meat chickens, goats, pigs (2). A big garden is in the works, as are fruit trees and bushes. I plan on growing as much as I can on my own. I also forage wild edibles and hubby and son hunt.

I also make from scratch as much as i possibly can (inc. yogurt cheese, pasta granola etc.), and do alot of preserving.

In case you were wondering--no, i don't have a 'real' job. I consider myself a housewife, hobby farmer.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Settin'_Pretty :

Sounds good but takes years to get established.

How do you figure? Just curious... My garden will be tilled by the end of the month with a full yield(hopefully) this fall.
Animals will also be here this spring. The only thing that will take years to get established will be the fruit trees.

 

[kelly]

If you have the time,space and etc. it would be good to grow some corn (for feed and corn meal) and wheat.

Kelly

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

Quote:
How do you figure? Just curious... My garden will be tilled by the end of the month with a full yield(hopefully) this fall.
Animals will also be here this spring. The only thing that will take years to get established will be the fruit trees.

A new garden generally takes about 3 years to get fully established as far as getting the soil right.
Vines, like grapes take several years.
You buy chics this year, it's next year before they are laying.
A good compost set up takes a year or two to get going.
All other perennials take a few years to get established and producing, like berries, asparagus, herbs, etc.

I've set up 2 homesteads like described above, and three years, and a lot of sweat, is about what it takes to get everything in full swing.

If you're planting your garden this year for the first time, then sure, you'll get some return, but I bet it won't be near what you get your third year.
Properly conditioning garden soil takes years, or hundreds of dollars worth of amenities added the first year.
Most places either have sand or clay, and it has to be turned into a rich hummus to produce well.

 

[hensdeliverthegoods]

Quote:
That sounds like a real job to me!

 

[quadcam79]

sounds good to me

 

[miss_thenorth]

Settin'_Pretty :

Quote:
How do you figure? Just curious... My garden will be tilled by the end of the month with a full yield(hopefully) this fall.
Animals will also be here this spring. The only thing that will take years to get established will be the fruit trees.

A new garden generally takes about 3 years to get fully established as far as getting the soil right.
Vines, like grapes take several years.
You buy chics this year, it's next year before they are laying.
A good compost set up takes a year or two to get going.
All other perennials take a few years to get established and producing, like berries, asparagus, herbs, etc.

I've set up 2 homesteads like described above, and three years, and a lot of sweat, is about what it takes to get everything in full swing.

If you're planting your garden this year for the first time, then sure, you'll get some return, but I bet it won't be near what you get your third year.
Properly conditioning garden soil takes years, or hundreds of dollars worth of amenities added the first year.
Most places either have sand or clay, and it has to be turned into a rich hummus to produce well.​

I'v started gardens from scratch before, and always had excellent yields--this year I don't expect any different. We have existing clay soil, but I also have two horses, and this property had horses previously, so I have composted poop. I am getting bulk compost from the city for free (I have to load it myself), this mixed with the manure should do well tilled into the clay. I am not worried. The two goats are coming as soon as I am ready for them, as are the pigs, rabbits and meat chickens. Like I said, other than the fruit trees, we should have a pretty bountiful autumn.

All I see is alot of sweat and hard work, which is what I am busy doing right now. I am getting the garden plot ready right now, then I will start builiding the chicken tractor for the meat chickens. Rabbit cages have been built and just need to be installed in the barn. My dh is installing fencing next week, then we will be ready for the pigs and goats. I admit initial startup is expensive (not the garden--the fencing). I have existing raspberry bushes on the property , and don't intend to do grapes or asparagus.(we have wild asparagus growing nearby) Herbs, in my experience, and I have grown them numerous times, don't need years to get established.

Sorry, I don't mean to be argumentative, but I don't think I'm delusional either. But, as in all things--time will tell.....

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

My initial response was to ninny.
You came back and ask how "I figured".
So I itemized it.

If it works out better for you, then that makes me happy, but I still believe what my own experiences have taught me.

As soon as my house sells, I'm going to do it all again, hopefully this will be the last time, and I'm expecting it to be three years before I am established and where I want it to be with it.
If you'd like to come help, I won't turn away any free labor that will get me there faster.